Osei Kofi Tutu I was one of the co-founders of the
Empire of Ashanti, the other being
Okomfo Anokye, his chief priest. The
Ashanti were a powerful, warlike, and highly disciplined people of
West Africa. Osei Tutu led an alliance of
Ashanti states against the regional hegemon, the
Denkyira, completely defeating them. Then, through force of arms and diplomacy, he induced the rulers of the other
Ashanti city-states to declare allegiance to
Kumasi, his capital. Throughout his career he was politically advised by Anokye, a cleric whose spiritual authority over the people aided in his founding of the empire.